CURLING: Action heats up at 2008 U.S. Senior Nationals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18, 2008 Russell cruises to fourth win at 2008 U.S. Senior Nationals (HIGHLAND PARK, Ill.) - Wisconsin's David Russell team continued its winning ways improving to 4-0 at the 2008 USA Curling Senior National Championships Friday afternoon at the Exmoor Curling Club. Russell (La Crosse, Wis.) and teammates Bill Rhyme (Green Bay, Wis.), Mark Swandby (Madison, Wis.), Dave Carlson (Portage, Wis.) and Mike Fraboni (McFarland, Wis.) got past Wisconsin's David Garber rink, 5-4, to remain in first place in Pool B. The top two teams from each team after the round robin is completed will qualify to Sunday's semifinals. Garber's team took an early lead but gave up a late steal that proved to be the back-breaker. Pam Oleinik's team improved to 3-0 after defeating the Delores Montgomery team from Ohio, 9-2. Oleinik (Brookfield, Wis.) and teammates Laurie Rahn (Lake Forest, Ill.), Susan Curtis (Rogers, Ark.), Jo Ann Matthews (New Berlin, Wis.) and Donna Purkey (Greenwich, Conn.) built a 4-1 lead after four ends and held Montgomery's team to one point in the fifth. The defending senior champions scored three in the sixth end and followed up with a steal of two to seal the win. In other action, Star Pfiffner's Wisconsin team improved to 3-1 with a 7-2 win over Jamie Hutchinson's squad from Massachusetts. Walter Ehlert's Wisconsin team posted its second win with a close 6-5 victory over Jeff Wright's hometown team. Action today continues with draws at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Live scoring from this event is available at www.usacurl.org. The men's round robin continues through Sunday. The top two teams from each pool will meet in Sunday's semifinal with the championship final on tap at 8 a.m. Monday. The women will play a double round robin with the team with the best record earning the national title. The winning teams will represent the U.S. at the World Senior Championships in Vierumaki, Finland, March 8-16. Line scores: Russell 002 012 00 5
Garber* 110 100 10 4 Wright* 100 003 10 5
Ehlert 021 110 01 6 Oleinik* 102 103 2X 9
Montgomery 010 010 0X 2 Pfiffner 121 111 0X 7
Hutchinson* 000 000 2X 2
*last stone in first end Standings: Pool A: Brian Simonson (Minnesota) 4-0
Phil DeVore (Minnesota) 3-1
Paul Pustovar (Minnesota) 3-1
George Godfrey (Wisconsin) 2-2
Leland Rich (Alaska) 2-2
Merlin Orvik (Minnesota) 1-3
Michael Parry (Massachusetts) 1-3
Duke Grimshaw (Michigan) 0-4 Pool B: David Russell (Wisconsin) 4-0
Stuart Graves (Massachusetts) 2-1
Seppo Sormunen (Minnesota) 2-1
Jeff Wright (Illinois) 2-2
Walter Ehlert (Wisconsin) 2-2
George Austin (New York) 1-2
Lionel Locke (Minnesota) 1-2
David Garber (Wisconsin) 0-4 Women's standings: Pam Oleinik (Wisconsin) 3-0
Star Pfiffner (Wisconsin) 2-1
Jamie Hutchinson (Massachusetts) 1-2
Delores Montgomery (Ohio) 0-3 USA Curling is sponsored by AIT Worldwide Logistics, AmerAust Technologies and Nike as well as by AT,T, General Motors, The Home Depot, and Bank of America through a joint marketing program with the U.S. Olympic Committee. (30) For more information: Terry Kolesar, USA Curling, terry.kolesar@usacurl.org, 715-344-1199, Ext. 202, or 608-338-9900 (cell).